A modified John Deere combine collects a mix of corn kernels and cobs on a farm near Hurley, S.D. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007. Poet is testing various corn cob gathering methods as part of the company's... (Associated Press)

(Newser)
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Green-tech venture capital is still concentrated in coastal urban centers, but middle America is catching up. Silicon Valley, Massachusetts, and Washington state are among the top five hotspots, but so is Texas and the nation's agricultural heartland, reports CNET, which tracked the money fueling startups and university research.

Silicon Valley garnered 40% of the $1.7 billion spent on clean-tech initiatives in 2007, and MIT helped Massachusetts nab 11 deals worth nearly $300 million. Austin's HelioVault accounts for much green-tech capital in Texas, and former Microsoft-techies propel the industry in Washington. The heartland gets a nod for its strides in developing biofuels, solar power, and clean coal-based energy.